Is It Time to Ditch Your Old Upright Vacuum?

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Nothing beats a cordless vac for convenience, but few have enough power to act as more than mere spot-cleaners. No more, says Dyson. The company claims that its latest model, the DC59, is 50% more powerful than any cordless model it's produced before, and it has power to rival a full-size corded household vacuum cleaner.

The lightweight unit looks like a slim stick vac, with the motor and dust chamber in the handle that attaches to a removable wand and cleaning head. (Minus the stick, it converts into a supercharged hand vac.) Most of the weight is in the handle, meaning it'll be easier to lift the vacuum to clean hard-to-reach spots like curtains and cobwebs in corners and maneuver under and around furniture. (We tried it out, and found that the weight felt quite manageable.) It comes with a wide nozzle — 10 inches wide, to be exact, similar to a standard upright model — and a more energy-efficient digital motor.

If you're the type that likes to take on marathon cleaning sessions, this model might disappoint — though its 26 minutes of battery life is very good for a cordless unit, it may not cut it if you're looking to clean a whole house in one go. And it'll only last 8 minutes in the more powerful "max" mode. Still, the vacuum charges in just over three hours, and it stores in an included, wall mountable holster. This model runs on a lithium ion battery (similar to what you'll find in your smartphone or laptop); you can let it constantly charge whenever it's not in use so it'll always be at full power.

The DC59 will be available starting today for $499.99. You can also pick up the handvac version for just $249.99. Check out the video below to see the DC59 in action.

TELL US: Would you be willing to ditch your household vacuum for a slimmer stick vac?